Estimates in the millions for town hall repairs

Tuesday

Apr 29, 2008 at 2:00 AMApr 29, 2008 at 5:34 AM

Critical repairs to Provincetown Town Hall will cost in the range of $1,300,000, and a complete restoration would likely rise beyond $6 million, based on an architect's presentation before town leaders last night.

Mary Ann Bragg

PROVINCETOWN — Critical repairs to town hall will cost in the range of $1.3 million, and a complete restoration would likely rise beyond $6 million, based on an architect's presentation before town leaders last night.

But those estimates came with a second warning from structural engineer Arthur MacLeod — that the building should not be occupied during a severe storm or hurricane. And Town Manager Sharon Lynn announced that town employees will not spend another winter in the building.

Lynn said she plans to have the building vacated by early November and that she and other town officials have begun the search for new locations for the estimated 30 people who work there.

A plan of where to place the town employees and the cost associated with the move is expected by the middle of June, she said.

"We have a team together," Lynn said.

On March 17, architect Wendall Kalsow of McGinley Kalsow & Associates of Somerville delivered an unexpectedly dire report on the physical soundness of the building, in the center of town at 260 Commercial St.

The building's exterior columns, which support the roof, balcony and auditorium floor, are undersized and the roofing is unstable, among other issues, Kalsow said last night.

Town officials will likely be ready to seek bids for the renovation by late August or early September, Lynn said.

Members of the board of selectmen said the panel still needs to decide on the timeline for the renovations and how to pay for them.